Cat got your tongue?
by DestructiveMind
Summary: He was about to reply to her when he felt something warm on his neck. No... his voice changer...! "Cat got your tongue?" Haibara's voice broke through the silence. - In which Subaru's voice changer is damaged in the presence of Haibara.


**"Cat got your tongue?"**

...

"Haibara-san?"

His fingers reached up to poke her face... nothing.

He was squatting next to her phased-out body while the Detective boys were out trying to retrieve her lost charm; she hadn't moved in a while, looking positively lost and half-dead. Subaru sighed, perhaps he should leave her, he doubted anything he could do could rouse her out of this state; though a small part of him felt saddened at seeing her like this.

"Would you like a glass of water?" He tried, though she didn't respond.

"I'll bring you some regardless," he said to her as he stood up, eying her lifeless body with a narrowed gaze as he headed towards the kitchen to make her a glass.

When he returned, he began to kneel forwards, though at that exact moment, it seemed as though Haibara had just clicked back into reality; she turned her head and was instantly startled at finding Subaru's face descending quite close to hers, out of fright and shock, she leaped forwards only to accidentally knock over the glass he was holding right out of his hand and straight onto the both of them. The water splashed mostly on Subaru, though a small amount landed in Haibara's hair. By almost miraculous reflexes, Subaru reached for the glass just in time before it hit the floor, steadying it in his palm, watching the water sway side to side 'til it steadied in place.

Haibara turned to face him, the shock on her face replaced with widened eyes and ever so slightly, a small, embarrassed blush.

"I- sorry," she whispered, looking almost sheepish, though he could see she was still conspicuously wary of him.

He was about to reply to tell her it was alright and she didn't need apologize when he suddenly felt something warm on his neck. _Too_ warm.

 _No... not possible..._

Instinctively, he reached up to feel his neck, _no no no_ \- his voice changer...

At that exact moment, his train of thought trailed off when he noticed Haibara's narrowed, pointed gaze, her eyes trailed his fingers, landing at the position she herself had to tried to invade a while back. _"Beyond here... is my territory,"_ he had said.

The seconds ticked by with neither of them speaking, Subaru didn't know what to do- he had to leave right at this very moment to check if his voice changer was still working, he couldn't risk speaking aloud only to have Shuichi's voice beam through instead of Subaru's.

But - would she even notice? Would she recognise Dai's voice? Dammit, even if she didn't, she would recognise a _change_ in his voice, get suspicious and cause havoc - Conan wouldn't see the end of it and neither would he. Not to mention this would lead to a ridiculous string of events, he couldn't... not yet-

"Cat got your tongue?" Haibara's voice broke through the silence, and with her pointed gaze he suddenly felt as though she had immediately forgotten about the charm she had lost.

Subaru placed the glass of water onto the floor and stood up, maintaining an allure of confidence, though he did not speak. Nothing was stopping him bolting out that door, in fact it seemed to be the only option he had right now, without exposing himself, though it seemed like an utterly ridiculous option. It would infuriate her and she would definitely attack Conan for this... but so long as she had no idea who he was...

Suddenly, from behind him, Haibara piped, "It's okay if you don't want to talk," and she sounded sincere, "but at least don't go home with a wet shirt. Wait for me."

He considered bolting out of the house while she went to supposedly fetch him a new shirt, but he momentarily felt guilty for even considering it.

 _What's happening to you, Akai?_ _Growing a soft spot for the girl?_ His inner voice chimed.

When Haibara was back, she had with her a black, short sleeved t-shirt which seemed as though it could've belonged to Shinichi.

"It's Kudo-kun's," she said, standing on her tip toes to hand it to him. He noted that she intentionally just references Shinichi with "Kudo-kun", the same way she calls Conan in private. Possible trying to gauge if Subaru knew anything...

Subaru gently took the shirt from her, nodding a thank you, a smile on his lips. Haibara simply nodded back, and then she shut her eyes, almost too violently, "I won't look, promise."

Despite himself, a genuine smile touched his features. Oh how he wanted to respond to her...

With her eyes shut, Subaru turned around anyway, grabbing the hem of his shirt and lifting it up, ensuring that when he got to his neck he pulled the voice changer with the shirt as well, such that it would remain hidden in the folds when he'd taken it off. He had known she was going to peek anyway, to check for the voice changer, but he hadn't known it would stir a _strange_ feeling inside him...

Haibara's eyes peeked open, and she immediately stared at his neck - Subaru was watching her from a small mirror on the counter top which she didn't seem to notice was there - and immediately frowned at the missing device.

 _Was I wrong...? No... it must have come off with the shirt, but he's still holding it... dammit._

And her eyes trailed to his fingers, and then, involuntarily, to his muscled back and his muscular shoulders, and she found herself unwillingly blushing.

 _Stupid, stop it,_ she hissed to herself, though a hidden part of her noted he was even more handsome than Higo-san.

 _Enough!_ She demanded of her inner self, feeling slightly flustered and agitated.

It all seemed to happen slowly for the both of them, but in reality only mere seconds had passed. Subaru slipped on the shirt and Haibara wished she hadn't seen the way his muscles had flexed as he did so.

When he began to turn around, Haibara hurriedly shut her eyes, and Subaru coughed to signal she could open them again.

Haibara opened her eyes and eyed him with a look neither could explain.

A moment passed, then two. And then Subaru smiled, miming a thank you without actually speaking it.

Haibara watched him as he left, and every step he took seemed an eternity.

 _Who... are you?_ she thought.

And then, to her utter surprise, she heard quite possibly one of the sexiest voices she had ever heard sound from his position, "Only this time I allowed you you to see... beyond your territory."

Haibara stood there, flabbergasted and embarrassed.

 _Baka, the mirror..._ she inwardly hissed at herself.

Subaru left the premises, a smile on his face. He hadn't known why he had said it, why - after everything - he had let her hear his voice. But he was sure this wasn't enough for her to glean who he was... but it just wasn't like him to say something of the sort, especially to a child, regardless of who she was.

 _Akai... get a hold of yourself._

Haibara watched the door shut behind him, _Okiya Subaru... who are you?_

 _Haibara-san... what have you done... to me?_

* * *

Hello everyone! I really really ship this couple and so decided to write this cute little story, hope you all like it! Please review and tell me what you think!


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